I attended the Moody Bible Institute and grew up as a Baptist,
so I know how I would receive the following, but I'd like you to
suspend initial reactions.

First, pertinent autobiographical info:

In 2008 I followed God's call to leave the US (one month before
stock market crash and prior, too, to Obama's election). God put
me in the center of a Muslim country, Indonesia.

The Islamic exposure has yielded shockingly unexpected
considerations. I see that, as an American, I was culturally and
nationalistically limited. Much of what I read coming from my
evangelical Christian friends in the US about Muslims is
actually very wrong-headed.

For example, the Muslims expect a figure to precede Jesus (the
so-called Mahdi). We mustn't forget that we expect a figure
also, Elijah. From the first advent, we learned that Elijah can
come as a distinct personality (John the Baptist), and that,
unless we perceive, we might not recognize him. Might the Mahdi
and Elijah be one and the same? Might this figure unite all
believers in God against antichrist?

Look at the characteristics of Elijah's role.

1. He came from the transjordan area, was fed by Arabs (not
'ravens') and a Gentile woman. So he was coming from outside of
Judaism.

2. He brought punishment on Israel by withholding rain
(destroying the agrarian economy) for 1260 days.

3. His style was mocking and ridiculing.

4. He brought opposition to the evil Kings specifically for
bonding to the high places (bamah) instead of to the true God.
This idea of 'bamah' is akin to the Muslim idea of 'shirk.'
Shirk is anything that replaces the primacy of God in the heart.
Bamah, the high places, the rival worship centers, are
represented finally by the American system that has created a
Calypso-like earth, where the soul is contented and becomes
forgetful of its original quest to God. Israel has made a
covenant with death, putting her faith in Bamah's 'god of
fortresses' rather than sole reliance on God.

Elijah 'attacked' Israel. To an Israelite suffering from famine,
he was probably a villain. But he attacked as an agent of God's
judgement, and to cleanse Israel of a corrupt, godless political
regime.

So, whoever cuts off the economy (maybe April-closure of Hormuz)
in order to exact judgement on the godless temporal rulers of
Israel for their reliance on bamah rather than dependence on
God- that could be the spirit of Elijah.

I know, Islam is wicked, Islam is terrorism. But we are further
along than many of you realize. (And, by the way, I agree with
much of what you folks offer.) Obama is the antichrist. The
beast is to make war against the saints and to overcome them,
correct?

To be fair, the only ones fighting the American antichrist
are the Muslims.

Trust me. Muslims, too, expect antichrist. He is called 'ad
dajjal' (the deceiver). He is to be born on an island, east,
east, east of Yemen (Hawaii), and will make heaven seem like
hell and hell,heaven. 'Democracy'. 'Freedom'. 'Consumerism'
etc..A sign of his arrival will be 'when the slave woman gives
birth to her master.' We saw this with the election of the first
African-american president. He will travel the world and bestow
wealth on the ones who go along with him, and cause a withering
to the ones who oppose (economic aid/sanctions). There is more,
but we're beyond all that now.

Muslims believe this dajjal will be blinded in his right eye.
Actually, a passage in Zechariah concurs with this. This remains
to be understood.

Sometimes certain strains of Islam and Christianity won't meld.
But, with every passing day closer to Jesus' return, I am
finding that humble believers in both camps are truly close
cousins. I can tell you, Indonesian Muslims here bear nothing
but goodwill to Christians, and to Americans. They are always
quite open to hearing teachings of Jesus.

I think you guys will agree that events are developing so
quickly now that our original conceptions are being stressed out
of recognition. That is good. Preconceptions kept the Jewish
people from knowing the hour of their visitation. I think we've
learned a little.